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Pencil Milling Part 1

“Pencil Milling” is the name given to a machining strategy where a small-diameter ball end mill is used to perform finish milling in small nooks and crannies of a complex mold or die.  The word …

Machining Steep and Non-steep Geometry (Part 2)

In my last post, I showed several wrong ways to machine steep and non-steep geometry.  In this post, I will show a method that is better.

NX CAM can scrutinize a model and determine…

Machining Steep and Non-steep Geometry

Several years ago, I hiked into the Grand Canyon.  I spent a couple of months training my body for the trip.  I loaded up my backpack with 45 lbs. (about 20 kg) of material, and hiked 3-5 m…

The Future of Design and Manufacturing?

The Future of Design and Manufacturing?

Elon Musk and SpaceX believe that there’s a better and faster way to turn ideas in your mind into virtual models and then into real parts. And they’ve integrated various technologies (including NX) i…

Tool Path Divide

  If you really want to scare an NC programmer, just show them a deep, narrow cavity on your latest design, and then comment that you must have a mirror-like surface finish at the bottom. …

Roughing and Re-roughing

In NX CAM we refer to a specific set of machining instructions as an operation.  For example, finish-milling a planar face would be one operation.  To spotdrill, drill, and bore a hole requ…

Learn more about Feature Based Machining with Chad Varney

Learn more about Feature Based Machining with Chad Varney

In this session of Chad Varney from Ally PLM we will take a general look at using Feature Based Machining in NX CAM.We will look at some more specific topics when using Feature Based Machining…

The Virtual Machine eliminates use of CNC machine tools for non-production tasks

The Virtual Machine eliminates use of CNC machine tools for non-production tasks

INDEX Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of CNC turning machines, wanted to increase the efficiency of multi-function production center setup, programming, and validation. INDEX implemen…

The Evolution of Tool Path Design (Part 3)

In this post, I will explain the latest tool path innovations for removing large quantities of material.I mentioned in Part 2 that Offset tool paths have problems when the offsets meet at shar…